Exciting relay icon by University

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 16

Exciting relay icon by University

The University of Canterbury Cross- < ountry Club '•cored a splendid, lirst-of-the-»eason win. narrowly beating the champion club. Olympic, in the annual six-lap. 15-mile inter-club Hadley relay on Saturday.

A magnificent fifth lap by the club president and former England international, R. Robinson, finished by an equally fine last lap by the former Auckland runner. P Riley, gave University the victory — by only one second. Last years’ winners. New Brighten, was third. Experienced officials said th* race was the most exciting harVnirmitv also celebrated the • •ir of i's biggest membership Brighton hv Its veterans' team The relay attracted a Tecord entrv of TTS runner' University was without two of ft' strongest runners. B. Taylor and K O'Sullivan The rest held on admirable, but no-ore gave them a chance until Robinson's d amatlc second-last lap put them In a fighting position. EARLY LEAD Last year’s record-holder. New Brighton, went for an eurlv L ad and A. Ellis and W. Swords had put it in first place at the • nd of the second lap The University of Otago was second, with the international. E. Robertson. K. Fagan of Olympic, was th.rd. and the University of Canterbury was fourth It was then that the international J Sheddan. sla«h“d a hole tn the field, bringing Olympic through th- third lap to first place with New Brighton second th» University of Otago third, and the University of Canterbury still fourth At the start of the fourth lap. Sh»ddan ser.i N Reid away with a 1-ad of about 80 sards on B Rollo for New Brighton, with similar distances back to the Otago and Canterbury university teams in that order. In spite of the pace in this bp M Couldwell did good service bv bringing the Universitv ®f Canterbury through to third

N'evertheless. Robinson had still to face a substantial gap to] iatc’l New Brighton's fifth-lap runner. D. G- ’ While B. McClelland had he’d C on well to the lead for Olympic. < Robinson ran one of the finest J races of his career to come; through to second and give Uni-P i*ersity’s last lap runner, P. E Riley, a chance ' STIRRING RUN T'.e fight which then began | v between Riley and Olympic’s last; 8 - J D Macdonald, was an epi Beth were well performed . ' over the steeplechase and SON ; 1 metm Rifev is the New Zea J Hnd ’t-.iv r'ities champion over;: the distance. ' 1 ?4acdonald starred with about) a SAva-d lead. But he had the t ■ disadvanrege of being about 18 - r year' older. Yet when Riley 1 caught him in the first half-mile. f he fought back and c>vertook I '.lim. Twice thereafter the lead' t changed, and with Macdonald I ahead. Riley fell in boggy conditions in a dip beside the river. , Rtlev lost about two seconds . here, but caught up and after! s a neck-and-neck struggle took i. the lead with about 500 yards s to go. I. It was only then that the! ■. crowd sensed a possible win for! s University i- “I kept ahead planning to; save a bit for the last sprint,” h said Riles The crowd roared as a the two turned into the straight I • By then Riley was applying full!, t pressure. Even so Macdonald'' . gained on him in the last 401’ 0 yards, and although Riley won J f easing up there was only about I four yards between them at the ; > finish WOMEN’S EVENTS |! New Brighton made a clean I' It sweep of the women’s events.) e Their women’s veetrans’ team 11 v also put on a creditable perform- ’ ance. • s New Brighton’s first-lap runner.!l • M. O’Reilly, took the over-all i 1 • I placing of 31« t in a fastest time < L' of lamin 52sec. U

The footing was heavy, and the runners had to contend with fierce gusts of cold wind and rain for more than half a milt in the middle section of the race. University’s winning time was more than two minutes slower than the record set bi New Brighton last year. Results:— University of Canterbury (P Morton, A. Warne, J. Coates, M Cauldwell, R. Robinson, P. Rilev) 79mln 53sec. 1; Olympic (J. K MacDonald. K. Fagan, J. Shed dan. N. Reid, B McClelland, J. D MacDonald:, 79:54, 2; New Brighton tT. Ellis. W. Swords M. Radcliffe, B Rollo, D. Greig R. Sharpe). 80:28. 3: Otago Uni versity, 81:33. 4: Canterbury Uni verslty B. 82.59. 5: Olvmpic B 84:22. 6 Veterans: University of Canter bury tP. May, D. Tucker. R Creed, R Hunt, E. Jackson. K Cooke), 97:32. 1; New Brighton 107:48, 2; United, 114:58, 3. Colts: G. O’Brien (New Brigh ton . 14:C. I: L. Rogal A'eu

tel Brighton), 14:41, 2; P Glue! h (Anglican), 15:20. 3. dj Fastest laps: K. Hamilton! le! (Technical) and P. Riley (Can-1 tel terbury University), 12min 52sec.! te equal, 1: J. Sheddan (Olympic),) js 12:54, 3; E. Robertson (Otago i ty University) and S. Melville (Otago I University) 12:56 equal 4: A. Ellis (New Brighton) 13:01. 5: R. Robinson (Canterbury University). P. 13:04. 6; C. Hicks (Toe H) 13:06. 7.1 I. Fastest veteran laps: P. May] ). (Canterbury University). 15:03. 1: C. W. McLeod (New Brighton), d- 15:14, 2; D. Tucker (University), 9. 15:26. 3: R. Creed (University), w 15:43, 4: F. Sharp (United), s. 16:06. 5; E. Jackson (University). g. 16:12. 6. ti. Women’s.~-New Brighton’s A ii- team )M. O’Reilly. A. Duncraft. 3, J. Nolan, A. Bidwell 1) New' Brighton’s B, C, D and E teams took the next four placings. :i- Women’s fastest lap times: M. v O’Reillv iN.B.). 15:52. 1: A. Bid-. ”• well (N. 8. 16:37, 2; K. Rollo) IIN.B. B). 16:57, 3; A. Duncraft] h-'(N.B. A). 17:06, 4; G. Chettle-j wl borough (N. 8. B). 18:03. 5. ]